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PLS0066 CRITICALITY BEYOND DISCIPLINARITY: Working knowledge(s) in, of and for urban landscape, 4,0 Hp

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The course is open for PhD students in the landscape field, for those in landscape architecture, and for those interested in urban design.

Mål

The aim of "Criticality beyond disciplinarity" course is to strengthen awareness of the range of working knowledges available to the researcher in the landscape field. The course takes a landscape architectural perspective on urban landscapes, but is very well suited for researchers from other design disciplines, or those interested in the field of design. Criticality does not belong to any one discipline, rather it helps us observe how different disciplines operate (what they define and deploy as "working knowledges") and to take a position on what we learn. Given the power of criticism to enrich and help evolve epistemological norms and inherited practices towards new forms of knowledge production, this course aims to mobilize this potential to sharpen participant understanding of their own research aims within broader disciplinary contexts, and to strengthen their capacity as researchers to contribute to the evolution of transdisciplinary practices. The course offers students the following learning outcomes: how to develop an understanding of the concept of "working knowledges" through reading and group discussion of theoretical literature; how to critically reflect on their own "working knowledges" and assess how such knowledges shape the critical positions they adopt in their own work; how to engage in guided peer feedback that constructively comments upon and refines research aims; how to articulate, elaborate and integrate critical thinking in their PhD related research practice; how to use Rhetorical Precis as a tool to support critical research.

Innehåll

The course consists of a 2.5-day intensive seminar for which all participants meet (20h), this seminar is preceded by a preparation phase (ca 40h) and followed up by a writing up phase (ca 60h) at distance. Students will engage with two types of literature – 1) theoretical texts exploring the concept of "working knowledge" as it informs disciplinization and knowledge production and 2) sample publications presenting critical writings on design issues. During the seminar meetings, rhetorical précis will be used to guide discussions of theoretical literature; sample critical publications will be analyzed, presented and discussed to gain insight on how they are produced; and insights from the analysis will be used to inform participants’ ongoing development of their own critical research and writing skills. The session also includes two lectures: Andrea Kahn, design theorist, SLU professor and founder of designCONTENT, a strategic consultancy for communication and collaboration processes in design and planning, will address disciplinary "habits of mind" as they shape working knowledges and critical thinking in research; Lisa Diedrich author of published critiques, and editor of LAE, will discuss critical writing and publications more specifically within the context of landscape architecture as academic discipline and professional practice.

Ytterligare information

Pre-seminar coursework: Before participating in the seminar, students undertake 4 types of preparatory work over a period of 2 weeks prior to the 2.5-day group meeting:

- read required literature, prepare rhetorical précis for each required reading, share précis with group before seminar (follow guidelines provided)

- analyze sample critical publications (identify editorial position, assess format as it supports content)

- identify subject matter for a critical paper (text, design work, project) and do preliminary research needed to draft a paragraph detailing relevance of chosen subject to thesis work

- write an outline of their proposed critical paper